Ninjago: The Reign of Storm

1. Masters of Storm

Nyad leaned against the wall, exhaling as she heard the steps disappear down the corridor. She relaxed slightly, sliding down somewhat on the wall while keeping her senses primed. She waited for the guards to sound the alarms, but the steps slowly faded without showing any sign of them knowing she was there.

"This is madness," she muttered beneath her breath.

She realized how foolish it had been to suggest this mission. Not only did she suggest it, she convinced the king it was worth the risk.

The war against Wojira was going badly, as it always had. Merlopia and its people had always stood up to the Great Serpent but no matter their efforts, they could not defeat her. She was a ruthless creature that lacked any emotions. She had no compassion for her victims and ravaged the Endless Sea with nobody strong enough to stop her.

Recently, it had all gotten worse. There was enough trouble with Wojira, but they had to divide their attention either way. Over the past years, Merlopia had, not only, been at war with Wojira but also with her fanatics.

They were a group who believed Wojira was a goddess, not a simple beast. They thought she was here to cleanse the world of their sins and had openly gone against the people of Merlopia. They were no longer a part of Merlopia but a different faction that had attacked the city multiple times.

Nyad suggested they should infiltrate their base to find out what they were planning. Initially, the king had said no to her idea, but after some convincing, he had agreed, if hesitantly.

Now, Nyad was starting to understand his hesitation. She had infiltrated the fanatics' base and quickly understood that they were much more organized than expected. Nyad expected to find a group of unorganized people with strong beliefs, but she found a fleshed-out military organization.

She never had a chance to get anywhere close to wherever they made their plans. There were no weaknesses she could use to get deeper inside. She was not even sure how she would escape. But she had gotten herself into this situation, so now she would have to get herself out.

She silently slipped out of the shadow and followed the two guards she had heard earlier. She dreaded each step as she feared her wet clothes would make enough sounds to reveal her. She carefully placed one foot in front of the other to avoid the loud squeaking noise her shoes would make against the dry stone. 

The cave transferred noise well, causing her to hear guards far away as their steps echoed down the corridors. But even among the other sounds, she feared her own would stand out.

She moved between shadows, avoiding the open spaces of larger caves, and kept to the smaller corridors, afraid to be recognized. Her long dark purple hair stood out in crowds and as she was quite well known, she knew she would be recognized if seen.

She moved down the corridors, trying to keep her mental map clear, but the image of it faded quickly. She started to forget which direction she came from and found herself breathing quicker. Nyad hated being in caves. It always felt like the walls closed in around her.

It reminded her too much of the day Wojira destroyed her home and killed her family. Even though it had been more than a decade since that day, it still haunted her. 

She hurried on her steps, desperate to get out of the cave before she started to panic. 

She would not have gone if she had known the fanatics' base was in a cave. Nyad had happily sent somebody else in that case. She belonged with the sea, in the open, endless space where she could go anywhere she wanted without being confined to stone walls. She felt free out there.

Nyad leaned against the wall, resting her head against the cold stone. Once more, calm settled in her mind as she thought of the ocean.

"It's her!" A scream cut through the silence, Nyad was immediately on the move as the scream pulled her out of her thoughts. "It's Nyad!"